Trans-Boundary Cooperation in Sustainable Tourism and Destination Management

Trans-boundary cooperation in sustainable tourism and destination management

Examples of German-Polish co-operation projects

Alexander Schuler,

UN, New York, 30 October 2013 © Fig. top: P. Radke / Sielmann Foundation; bottom: Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau“

TOURISM & REGIONAL CONSULTING Berlin ▪ Hannover ▪ Eisenach

Agenda

The following issues are central to my presentation:  Two Best Practices . Muskau Arch Geopark . Fürst Pückler Park Bad Muskau  Sustainable tourism and quality  Future considerations

2 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Best Practice 1: Muskau Arch Geopark

Project 1: Geopark Muskauer Faltenborgen

3 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de© Image: P. Radke / Sielmann Foundation The evolution of the Muskau Arch

Was ist zu tun ...  The arch was formed some 450.000 ... Nach innen: years ago during a glacial period named after the nearby river ‚Elster‘.  Strategie und Umsetzung   Geologists call this formation a push moraine.  Both, world heritage and geopark are  Especially noticeable are the brown coalbeds that were elevated greatly and hence made easy to access. Therefore, the coal industry settled at this location.  As a consequence, other industries followed, such as brick and glass manufacturers. They made use of the clay and sand layers that lay on top of the brown coal and had to be carried off anyways.

4 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Location of the Muskau Arch Geopark

The Muskau Arch has the form of a horse shoe and stretches from Döbern in the south of the state of Brandenburg to Weißwasser and Bad Muskau in the state of Saxony all the way to Trzebiel in the region of Lebuser Land (Poland).

5 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Project development and goals

Development of the Muskau Arch Geopark  First ideas of the Muskau Arch date back to the year 1994.  The eventual geopark concept was created from 1998 to 2000.  The Muskau Arch was one of 30 projects of the International Building Exhibition (IBA) 2000-2010.  The goal of the IBA projects was to support German-Polish cooperation. This was accomplished by making the hidden, forgotten and buried history of the cultural landscape a tangible experience.  After a start-up phase, the geopark was evaluated as national German geopark in 2006 and as national Polish geopark in 2011.  Since 2011, the geopark is member of the European Geopark Network  Since 2012, the geopark is member of Global Geoparks Network assisted by UNESCO

6 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Sustainable tourism and quality

Muskau Arch Geopark / Łuk Mużakowa

Transnational park, German-Polish character: the UNESCO Muskau Arch Geopark  Economic viability: Valorisation of the natural and cultural heritage for the purpose of tourism  Local prosperity: Increase in visitor arrivals supports the creation of value and the income of the local community  Local control: Linkage of communal, commercial and

touristic structures beyond national borders

 Cultural richness: Conservation of regional (coal mining) history and craftsmanship

 Physical integrity: Conservation of the inanimate nature faltenbogen.de

- of the geopark  Biological diversity: Environmental education, e.g.

nature trails, exhibitions, educative material muskauer  Community wellbeing: German/Polish school projects,

cross-border voluntary work © Fig.: ©

7 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Best Practice 2: Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau

8 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte©- tourismus.deFig.: Foundation „Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau“ 9 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Location of the Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau

The Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau is located adjacent to the Muskau Arch Geopark.

The formation of the park is equally influenced by the geographical particularities of the area.

10 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de How it all began

 Between 1815 and 1845 Prince Hermann Pückler created a famous landscape park on both sides of the river Lusatian Neisse

 Aftermath of WWII: River Neisse was border between GDR and the Republic of Poland  Division of the park Prince Herrmann . Polish side: Construction of factories von Pückler-Muskau . Park was partially used for agricultural purposes and partially grew exuberantly . New Castle on German side burnt down  Since German Reunification: . 1992: German part was property of The Free State of Saxony  Establishment of state-owned foundation . Proposal by the previous director of the Polish side: Application with UNESCO . Park was continuously restored . The thought of reunifying a divided park unified the Drinking fountain with wooden pavilion people in both countries in the so-called Bath Park in Bad Muskau. . Since 1998: German-Polish youth work Detail from a lithograph from Gustav Täubert, 1867

11 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Project process

The Muskau Park Prince Hermann Pückler  International Building Exibition (IBA) 2000-2010; Goal: To revive the park on German and Polish side as an example and complete work of gardening art  2002: Application with UNESCO was handed in by both countries  2004: The Pückler Park was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list  Since 2004: Symbolic reconstruction of double bridge  2007: Abolition of border controls.  2008: Permanent exhibition in the New Castle (for the first time since 50 years)

 2012: Restoration of the New Castle was terminated © Fig.: Foundation ‚Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau‘

12 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Managament structure, facts and figures

 Management: . German side: Foundation ‚Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau‘ owned by The Free State of Saxony . Polish side: Branch office of the National Heritage Board of Poland  Funding: . German side: 89% Federal State of Saxony; 11% own capital (entrance fees, events, rent/lease etc.) . Polish side: Sponsorship of the National Heritage Board of Poland  Staff: . German side: 50 staff (50% Park maintenance, 50% administration) . Polish side: 12 staff (in branch office)  Applicant UNESCO World Heritage Site: Polish side  Surface: 830 ha, of which 260 ha are located on German side

13 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Marketing goals

In accordance with the statute of the Fürst Pückler Park Bad Muskau Foundation, the goals are as follows:  Reconstruction of the park in the tradition of Pückler; Knowledge transfer of cultural heritage  Cooperation between Germany and Poland in restorating the World Heritage listed park. International joint-administration is aspired.  Sustainable utilization of the facilities, especially for touristic purposes in one of Saxony‘s weakest regions in terms of infrastructure

14 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Potential visitor arrivals

Potential visitors are

People from within the Overnight guests within the catchment area catchment area = Primary market = Secondary market

Calculated potential visitors in 2007 for the Muskau Park:

Muskauer Park Primary market: approx. 140.000

Secondary market: approx. 95.000 ______

Visitors per year approx. 235.000

15 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Meaning of the World Heritage title for a visit

Is the title ‚World Heritage / UNESCO World Heritage‘ a (possible) criteria in your choice of visiting a garden/park?

Majority of visitors 1% 3% are from the area. Yes, UNESCO World Heritage is a criteria Visitors from outside 42% the area come to the No, UNESCO World Heritage is not a criteria region of Bad 54% Muskau primarily for I am not familiar with the title the park. (against the nationwide trend in No answer garden tourism). © BTE household inquiry 2006

42% of the German population consider the title ‚World Heritage‘ as a criteria for the consideration of a park visit.

16 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Development of visitor arrivals

Restoration of Castle finished 350000 Opening Castle/Permanent UNESCO exhibition World Heritage Flood

300000 certificate

)

250000

estimate

200000 Calculated

( 150000

100000

arrivals

Visitor 50000

0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

There are no fees involved in a park visit. Entrance fees only apply to exhibitions, guided tours, events and restoration; 2012: 60,000 paying visitors.

17 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Trilingual Homepage

bi/-trilingual information material

www.muskauer-park.de

18 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Sustainable tourism and quality

Muskauer Park Musżakowski

Transnational park, German-Polish character: The UNESCO World Heritage Site  Economic viability: Valorisation of the natural and cultural heritage for the purpose of tourism  Local prosperity: 260% growth in visitor arrivals between 2003 and 2012  growing valorisation; 62 local jobs created  Local control: Linkage of communal, commercial and touristic structures beyond national borders  Cultural richness: Conservation of the historical heritage of Fürst Pückler  Physical integrity: Conservation of the man-made park  Biological diversity: Environmental education, e.g. nature trails, exhibitions, educative material  Community wellbeing: German/Polish youth work for maintenance and development of the park

19 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de Future considerations

 Improved linkage, valorisation of supply, creation of bookable products, increased creation of value  Extension of the forest railway Muskau into the Fürst-Pückler-Park  Linkage of Muskauer Park and Muskau Arch Geopark +  Cross-border management, e.g. foundation: difficult  no exisiting european law yet that would enable such a binational foundation

20 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de TOURISM & REGIONAL CONSULTING Berlin ▪ Hannover ▪ Eisenach

Thank you for your attention!

B T E Tourism & Regional Consulting

www.bte-tourismus.de

21 UN expert group meeting on sustainable tourism www.bte-tourismus.de